The Monkey Movie Review

Image credits: Neon/The Associated Press

The latest horror comedy film, The Monkey, is making a strong impression at the box office, with an estimated $5.8 million from 3,200 theaters across Friday and preview screenings. This puts it on track for Neon's second-biggest opening weekend ever, only falling behind director Osgood Perkins' prior horror film at the banner, last summer's breakout Longlegs. The film is an adaptation of a Stephen King story about two brothers who see everyone around them begin to die at the hands of a devilish toy primate, and it has been receiving positive reviews, with audiences mixed, but leaning towards a positive reaction.

Even with a heroic $100 million opening weekend over the President's Day holiday, Captain America: Brave New World wasn't ready to be declared a theatrical success. With reviews leaning negative and an alarming Marvel Cinematic Universe low B- grade on Cinema Score, it was all eyes on this second frame to see how the comic book adaptation would weather ho-hum buzz. The Captain America revival added another $7.2 million on Friday, putting it on track to avoid breaking the MCU-record of a 78% drop earned by The Marvels in November 2023. However, Brave New World seems likely to hold similarly to 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which also opened on a Presidents' Day weekend before it plummeted 70% in its second outing.

Sony's release of Paddington in Peru gets third place, earning another $1.5 million on Friday and projecting $6.5 million (a 48% drop) for this second weekend. The StudioCanal production has an outside shot of passing a $25 million domestic total through its first 10 days of release. Universal's Dog Man is fetching fourth after earning $1.3 million on Friday, with the DreamWorks Animation caper eyeing $5.7 million for its fourth weekend, which would mark a 41% decline. Total domestic gross should hit $78 million through Sunday. The Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 takes fifth place, with rivals projecting a 63% fall for a $2.8 million haul in this second weekend.

The Monkey is a more comical turn for Perkins, adapting a Stephen King story about two brothers who see everyone around them begin to die at the hands of a devilish toy primate. The film has been receiving positive reviews, with audiences mixed, but leaning towards a positive reaction. The movie's success can be attributed to its unique blend of horror and comedy, which has been well-received by audiences. With a production budget of around $10 million, the film is primed to turn a substantial profit in theaters. The movie's cast, including Theo James, has also been praised for their performances, with James stretching some impressive acting chops.

Here are some of the notable movie releases and their box office performances:

• The Monkey: $5.8 million (opening weekend)
• Captain America: Brave New World: $7.2 million (second weekend)
• Paddington in Peru: $6.5 million (second weekend)
• Dog Man: $5.7 million (fourth weekend)
• Ne Zha 2: $2.8 million (second weekend)

The movie's success is a testament to the power of horror comedies, which have been gaining popularity in recent years. With its unique blend of horror and comedy, The Monkey is sure to appeal to a wide range of audiences, and its success at the box office is a reflection of its well-crafted storytelling and strong performances.

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